EP. REVIEW: Real Girl

Joined: 05 May 2015
Posts: 230
Location: Your guess is as good as mine?!

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 8:23 pm

The first few minutes had me doubting whether I made a mistake picking this show up, production values looked basic and plot direction seemed like it was due an emphatic eye roll. However the first few episodes have proven to be quite worthwhile, it doesn't feel like the usual 'hopeless otaku gets the pretty girl' story and so far character interactions have me invested. Pretty optimistic about this one in all honesty and I'm interested in seeing how the ups and downs of their relationship unfold.

spoiler[When I read the manga, I remember feeling pain whenever spoiler[Iroha and Tsutsui kissed or hugged.]. I tried hard not to cry, seeing as that reminded me of my own failures. I don't consider myself an otaku, since I purposely chose a job that forces me to be social, but I am rejected by others due to many reasons, among them, my appearance. So this is probably the first and only series I've ever related to on a personal level.]

Chances are you've heard this kind of story before, and Tsutsui doesn't exactly help the show's case by making a lousy first impression. He makes a lot of assumptions about Iroha when they first meet, becoming openly unpleasant in most of their early interactions.

I'm still not seeing this "Tsutsui is a jerk" idea. All the characters project their idea of Iroha onto her, it's kind of a running thing in these three episodes, the only difference being that Tsutsui thinks Iroha is better than he is but he doesn't think of it as a negative or a positive, just part of the natural order. In short, he just wants to be left alone, he has his interests, why can't he just have his interests?

I think it's the fact that he thinks Iroha is better than him that causes him to intercede on her behalf, reaffirming what he thinks is the natural pecking order. And Iroha hardly helps her case by being sullen and distant, letting others think whatever they want of her....

... wait, are we watching the same show?

"Desire to improve..."
No, you're thinking of connect, he doesn't have to improve, especially not in that way. Change is one thing, change for the better is something I have to disagree with in this show. He goes to improve his status and next thing you know, he's ditching his cat eared friend Ito? That's not much of an improvement in my eyes though it could have done wonders for certain other shows....

I find the first episode's stalking aspect to be pretty funny because 1) It was completely by accident and 2) Even as the desired outcome was the same, getting to know more about the target, it stems from honest and genuine curiosity. As well as it involves a really emotionally stunted, um, target. The second episode seems to double down on Iroha's perchance for lies... going by this review, she seems to be perfect albeit somewhat mysterious. The classic "manic pixie dream girl" which I don't see at all... genuine tears tend not to be involved in the whole "dream girl" part.

Then there's the doctor, the last episode proclamation and all of the third episode but I guess there's just not enough to discuss about this show because we have to stress how much of a imperfect jerk Tsutsui is.

I decided that this one was a keeper after the first episode, and the second and third episodes have only reaffirmed that decision. Each episode so far has shown a surprising amount of emotional resonance, and I'm growing to like all of the main characters.

Partly because it's on HIDIVE, I can easily see this being one of the most underappreciated new series of the season.

My only real problem with episode 4 were all the convenient coincidences that drove the story. Like he just happens to run into the little sister of the guy who beat him up, and she just happens to be in love with his little brother, and just happens to spill the beans in front of Iroha (though she already had most of it figured out, and no one would believe her anyway, so I expected that to happen in front of some other classmates).

This whole "fight" between Iroha and Tsui just drove me up a wall. I'm sick to death of the trope that women won't tell men why they're mad and instead tell them to think about what they've done and figure it out themselves.

Where does this come from? I've seen it over and over in stand-up routines and tv and movies, but never in my life have I heard an actual person seriously make this complaint. Or even jokingly. Have I lived a sheltered life or just known only people who actually communicate?

I admit that I'm really bad about not being up front with my issues, but if someone asks me point blank why I'm mad, I tell them. On the flip side, I've never been told to think about why they might be mad at me. When I ask, people (men and women) have told me what I did wrong. All this drama could've been avoided if she'd just answered him when he first begged her to tell him what he'd done. Arrgh.

Don't forget that Iroha is "moving away" in a few months or whatever. The show has kind of tried to lull viewers into a sense of security by not bringing it up for several weeks. I'm sure it will play into the Ayado triangle as well.

That would make for a compelling test of their friendship, but I worry Real Girl is setting the stage for a less interesting development.

Maybe less interesting for you. I for one am weary of manufactured drama over unfounded jealousy - or even founded jealousy. I know it comes with the genre, but if they find a way to avoid it from here, rather than double down on it, I'd be grateful.

It's not like Ayado is innocently unaware of "Girlfriend-san." She's having some feelings of gratitude and hero-worship for the first person to talk nicely to her and defend her, but as unfamiliar as those feelings are, she's pretty clear that Tsui is taken. I'd rather see her realize that she's not actually in love with him, and genuinely fall for Ito, though I'm concerned they might not handle that with the delicacy it deserves and instead make it seem like the story is just passing her around for convenience.

And yes, there is the looming deadline for Iroha's "departure," whatever that entails. It could be anything from she's moving to another country to dying of a terminal disease, or just her version of a deadman's handle to get her out of the relationship gracefully if it doesn't work out. Without knowing, it's hard to speculate on how it will affect the story.

I think the answer to your question is neither? I don't think it's being critical so much as acknowledging he's awkward and both sympathizing with him and having a laugh at his expense. Since he's not the only awkward one though, it thankfully doesn't all fall on him. There's enough embarrassment to go around.

Thankfully, things pick up once the characters get back into the usual school routine. I had more or less written Ayado off as a non-threat to Tsutsui and Iroha's relationship, especially since she seemed like the type to fade into the background after making her feelings known. It's a welcome surprise that her confession is more on the aggressive side, even to the point of suggesting that Tsutsui and Iroha are likely to break up in the near future. Instead of just confessing her feelings as a final action before giving up on Tsutsui, she's making a genuine play to pry him away from Iroha.

You're making the mistake of thinking that the translated text written in the subtitles is an accurate reflection of the words being said. Which, I guess, shouldn't be a mistake, but it is, in this case. Ayado says what she is doing is exactly "just confessing her feelings as a final action before giving up on Tsutsui," but somehow her saying "I know I'll be rejected" was translated as "I know they'll break up soon."

If it's faithfully adapted, starting the next episode the best parts of the manga will start though it will be most likely rush ( seriously rush ) . I really hate how everything is always Tsutsui's fault, he isn't perfect far from this thats a fact but what about the others, most of them are even worse, while Tsutsui admit how much he lacks the others don't and make him bear all the responsibility.

Given that Iroha is supposedly leaving at the end of the year? semester? if she really cares about Tsui, you'd think she'd step aside for Ayado. It's hard for me to put myself in her shoes though, since if that were my situation I'd never have gotten involved in the first place.

Thanks for the correct translation, Yttrbio. That sounds much more in line with how she came across to me earlier, so it was kind of shocking to see her all, "oh, they're going to break up, so I might as well give 'em a push."

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